Ventilating or exhaust fan



Sept. 18, 1945. H. MORRISON 2,385,152

VENTILATING OR EXHAUST FAN Filed Sept. 8, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l aH/UWM Wow;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. MORRISON VENTILATING OR EXHAUST FAN Flled Sept 8, 1944 Sept. 18, 1945.

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 Buckley Morrison, Houston, Tex alsignor to Texfan Company, Houston, Tex aeopartnershlp composed of himself and Buckley Morrison, Jr.

Application September 8, 1944, Serial No. 553,253

8 Claims.

This invention relates to fans, and more partlcularly to ventilating. or exhaust fans.

It has long been common practice to mount a fan of this character in a rectangular frame and to set such a frame in the wall of a building, or in a window opening, so that the fan will serve to cause a flow of air outwardly, thus producing a circulation of air within the building.

It has also been the common practice to drive a fan of this character by a belt, from a motor mounted in one comer of the frame.

The general object of the present invention to provide a construction of frame which shall be stronger and more rigid than those heretofore proposed and in which the fans can operate at higher speeds and with less vibration.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and illustrating several possible embodiments of the invention, in which drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation of one of my improved frames with a ventilating fan mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 2, but showing a slightly modified construction.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a still further modified construction.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, on a reduced scale, showing a frame construction in accordance with the details illustrated in Fig. 4, parts being in section.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale, and with fan omitted, showing a still further modified construction of frame.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly first to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, my improved frame structure comprises a pair of rectangular plates I and 2, having circular openings formed in them slightly larger than the diameter of the fan.

These plates I and 2 are spaced apart a substantial distance, as shown in Fig. 2, and are united around their inner edges by means of a tubular or cylindrical member 3. Throughout this specification and claims the plates I and 2 will be referred to as baflies or baflle plates" and the tubular member 3 will be designated as a funnel.

These bailles and funnel may be constructed of plywood or of fibreboard, but in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown them as made of sheet metal. Thus they may be united by soldering, welding or crimping.

The baille plates I and 2 are surrounded by a rectangular rim 5, also shown as formed of sheet metal, this rim having its edges bent inwardly to form flanges 6. The outer edges of the baille plates are shown as bent over to form peripheral outturned flanges 4 which project laterally beyond the plane thereof. They are in close contact with the rim 5, and which may be secured thereto as by spot welding or other suitable means.

At one corner, shown as the lower left hand corner in Fig. 1, the baflle plates I and 2 are cutaway, as at I, to form an opening for the reception of an electric motor 8. This motor is preferably supported on rubber mounts 9, which in turn rest upon a re-inforcing plate It securedto the inside of the frame 5 adjacent the comer. A suitable belt pulley I I is secured to the shaft of the motor 8.

A fan, shown as comprising four blades I2, secured to a suitable spider I3, i rigidly mounted on a hub or hollow shaft I4, journaled by means of ball bearings IS on a, fixed, stationary shaft I6, the ends of which are set in rubber blocks held in cups or sockets II. These cups or sockets II are in turn welded, or otherwise secured, to cross bars I8, fastened, as by welding, to the flanges Ii of the rim 5, as indicated at I9.

A belt pulley 20 is also rigidly secured to the hub or hollow shaft I4, and a suitable belt II passes around the pulleys II and 20. By this means the .fan is driven by the motor 8.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the funnel 3--is preferably of such width as to accommodate the fan blades I2, and that the pulleys II and 20 and all other-parts of the unit lie wholly within the space occupied by the frame as defined by the side edges of the rim 5.

By the use of a pair of. spaced baflie plates as shown, tied together at their inner edges by the funnel 3 and at their outer edges by the rim 5, I provide an exceptionally strong and rigid frame structure, well braced against distortion and resistant to vibration and to strains due to the-belt drive.

Instead of constructing the bafiies as shown in Fig. 2, I may employ the design illustrated in Fig. 3, in which bafiles I' and 2' are provided at their margins with outturned flanges 4 which are turned inwardly at their peripheries, as indicated at to. A rim 5' then ha it edges crimped over the flange do, as shown at in. In this case no spot welding or other additional seeming means is required.

In Figs. 4, and 6. I have shown a further modifled construction in which no separate outer rim is employed. In this construction the baiiies I and 2' are formed in a manner similar to that shownin Fig. 3, namely with inturned flanges do at the outer edges of the outwardly projecting marginal flanges 4' thereof, these flanges themselves constituting the equivalent of a rim. These bailie plates are united at their center by the funnel 3, as before, but are tied-together at their outer edges by means of'angle irons 22 located at three of the corners as shown and welded or otherwise secured to the flanges I. At the fourth corner, where the motor is located. the bailles are tied together by a special reinforcing plate l0,

which serves as a support on which the motor is mounted, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

Finally, in Fig. 'l, I have shown a still further modified construction. In this construction the -baifle plates 23 have outturned marginal flanges 24, similar to the flanges 4 of Fig. 2, but the funnel is made in two halves, each half being formed integral with its respective baille plate, by diestamping. The meeting edges of the two halves of the funnel are then united as by flash welding,

,. as indicated at as, and the baille plates, thus ascase that my improved frame comprises a pair of spaced baflie plates united at their inner edges by means of a funnel and rigidly tied together at their outer edges. thus producing an exceptionally strong and vibration-proof structure.

What I claim is:

.1. A supporting structure for ventilating fans and the like comprising a pair of rectangular baiile plates disposed in spaced, parallel relation and having central registering openings, a funnel formed integral with said bailie plates around the edges of said openings, and a rim surrounding and rigidly uniting the outer edges of said baflle plates, said rim forming a permanent part of said structure and the side edges of said rim projecting laterally beyond the plane of said baille plates.

2. A ventilating fan comprising a-rectangular frame including a pair of baiile plates disposed in spac'ed, parallel relation and having central, registering openings, a funnel connecting the edges of said openings, means rigidly uniting the outer edges of said bailie plates, a fan mounted to rotate within said funnel, said baille plates being cut away adjacent one corner'to provide an opening, a motor mountedon said frame within said opening, and belt gearing between said fan and motor.

8. A ventilating fan comprising a rectangular structure including a p r of baiile plates disposed in spaced, parallel relation and having central, 1

registering openings, a funnel connecting the edges of said openings, means rigidly uniting the outer edges of said baille plates, a fan mounted to rotate within said funnel, said baflie plates being cut away adjacent one corner to. provide an opening, a motor mounted on said structure within said opening, and belt gearing between said fan and motor, all parts of said motor and gearing lying within the space deflned by the side edges of said rectangular structure.

4. A supporting frame for ventilating fans and the like comprising a pair of baiile plates disposed in spaced, parallel relation and having central registering openings, and a funnel connecting the "edges of said openings, the side portions of said outside of said funnel.

frame projecting laterally beyond the planes of said bailie plates, and the outer edges of said laterally projecting portions having inturned peripheral flanges spaced a substantial distance from the planes of said baiile plates.

5. A supporting frame for ventilating fans and the like comprising a pair ot rectangular baiiie plates disposed in spaced, parallel relation and having central circular registering openings, a funnel connecting the edges of said openings, both of said baille plates having marginal outtumed flanges around substantially their entire peripheries projecting laterally beyond the plane thereof, and means forming a permanent part of said frame rigidly uniting said flanges, at least at all of the corners. 6. A supporting frame for ventilating fans and the like comprising a. funnel to receive the fan, a pair of spaced, parallel baifle plates surrounding said funnel and having registering circular openings to the edges of which said funnel is connected around substantially its entire circumference, the side edges or said frame projecting laterally beyond and spaced from the planes of said bafl'le plates at all points.

7. A ventilating fan comprising a rectangular frame including a pair of baille plates disposed in spaced, parallel relation and having central, registering openings, a funnel connecting the edges of said openings, a rim enclosing the margins of said baiile plates and permanently secured thereto, the side edges of said rim projecting laterally beyond the plane of said batlie plates, a fan adapted to rotate within said funnel, and means outside and wholly independent of said funnel for supporting said fan.

8. A ventilating fan comprising a rectangular frame including a pair of baille plates disposed in spaced, parallel relation and having central, registering openings, a funnel connecting the edges of said openings, a fan mounted to rotate within said funnel, and a motor. operatively connected with said fan to drive the same, said motor being supported by said frame at a point wholly HACKLEY MORRISON. 

